UP Governor hails removal of blue, red beacon lights

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Apr 23 (ANI): After the significant move to end VIP culture, Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik on Sunday asserted that the new government is reviewing the project and the people have welcomed this decision too.

"The government has all the rights to make the decision on removal of blue and red beacon. Our minister should abide to such rules. The new government's decision is good and should be implemented soon," said Naik.

Naik further stated that he has been writing letters to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding these matters and happy to see it being taken forward.

"I have been writing letters to the Chief Minister regarding these matters and glad to see that the government has taken these decisions. Adityanath has all the right to take decisions for the state and I welcome it wholeheartedly," he added.

Yesterday, Adityanath's government barred all its officials from using red and blue beacons and also decided to lessen the strength of security provided to VIPs.

Emergency services like fire brigade, ambulances, vehicles of armed forces and police will be exempted from this ban.

The decision to end the VIP culture taken by the Union Cabinet will be implemented from May 1.

It is reported that five categories would be allowed to use the red beacon- President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and the Lok Sabha Speaker.

The ban applies to union ministers, chief ministers, state cabinet ministers, bureaucrats and judges of the High Court and Supreme Court.

It was reported last week that the Prime Minister's Office ( PMO) had called a meeting to discuss whether the red beacon should be discarded or restricted to certain dignitaries.

Captain Amarinder Singh and Yogi Adityanath, the new chief ministers of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, have already taken steps to either end or restrict VIP culture.

In its first cabinet meeting, chaired by Captain Amarinder, the newly formed Punjab Government decided to completely shun the VIP culture by removing the red, yellow and blue beacons from their official vehicles.(ANI)